January’s Predictions meet-up marked a personal milestone for me – it was my first Data Lab Community event as the new Chair. While I’ve been a member of the Community for years, this was my first opportunity to introduce myself in this new role – and to do so in front of 300+ registered attendees, in the room and joining us online! A recording of the event is available here.
What I was most looking forward to was reconnecting with the wider Community at a moment when the role of data and AI feels more consequential than ever. We are at a critical point in connecting skilled, responsible, and ethical data use to sustainable economic growth – and this challenge sits right at the heart of The Data Lab’s mission.
By way of background, my day job is Chief Information and Financial Officer for the North Sea Transition Authority. I have the privilege of leading an award-winning, diverse team that delivers data, information, and digital solutions to enable and support strategic decisions that accelerate the energy transition. Alongside this, I chair the Offshore Energy Digital Strategy Group, and I sit on the boards of CAST (the Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology) and BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT. Across all of these roles, a common thread runs through my work: how we use data and technology well, and how we do so in a way that aligns with our values and responsibilities.
I really enjoyed rolling up my sleeves to get properly stuck in with the other panellists at January’s predictions meet-up – a January tradition for the Community.
Last year still looms large
What struck me most was just how much 2025 continues to loom over 2026. There was a real sense of optimism in the room, but it was tempered by caution and the sense that while we are certainly moving fast, in some respects we are also standing still.
We began by revisiting predictions made a year earlier. Topics such as agentic AI, change, and integration felt almost like the starting point for this year’s discussion rather than a retrospective. 2025 was a year of change, a year in which geopolitics, technology, public opinion and market pressures all shifted in significant ways across the world. And yet many of the themes we talked about then feel strikingly familiar now, in early 2026.
Agentic AI: momentum and risk
Unsurprisingly, agentic AI dominated much of the conversation – as it had the year before. The panel explored what increased adoption might look like over the coming year, particularly the potential shift from chatbots to enterprise-scale deployment. While none of us expect to see genuine “AI co-workers” appear in organisations this year, we agreed that the footprint of agentic AI is definitely growing. With this expansion comes risk. We discussed emerging concerns, from the use of AI agents in university learning platforms (and the academic integrity challenges this creates) to broader issues around security and data leakage.
There was also a question mark over how consistently caution will be applied. Some organisations may pause to reassess whether agentic AI is appropriate or genuinely beneficial for them. Others may feel under pressure to push ahead regardless. This led me to reflect on how organisations can support responsible experimentation while still protecting their values, people, and priorities.
One question I raised during the discussion, and which has stayed with me, is how many organisations are actively testing their shiny new AI strategies against their existing commitments to sustainability and social responsibility. Do those policies genuinely align? I would urge any organisation to put its AI plans and practices to the test of its own values and purpose. That alignment should be part of how decisions are made about when, how, and indeed whether to use AI.
Data foundations and skills: the widening gap
Another strong theme was the growing divide between organisations that are able to move quickly and confidently, and those held back by legacy systems, technical debt or cultures that struggle to embrace change.
Data remains the foundation on which all digital innovation is built. Organisations that get their data foundations and fundamentals right, with high-quality, well-organised, governed, and structured data, can accelerate faster, create more value, and differentiate themselves in ways others simply cannot. The ability, or inability, to leverage data effectively is increasingly what separates organisations that thrive from those that falter.
But strong data foundations alone are not enough. Skills matter just as much. Building capability in people, not just investing in tools, remains essential. Without the right skills and confidence across an organisation, even the most advanced technologies will fail to deliver their promised value.
Geopolitics on stage
We couldn’t talk about the year ahead without reference to geopolitics. If change was a defining word of 2025, the sense of volatility has only intensified as we move into 2026.
The speed and scale of geopolitical change are increasingly shaping how technology and data are developed and deployed. We discussed the risk that responsible AI considerations could be side-lined in favour of defence and national security applications, and the implications this could have for trust and governance.
Cyber resilience is becoming even more important, as organisations face new types and levels of threat. At the same time, concerns about data sovereignty, including where to host data and cloud services and how organisations and individuals comply with regulations across borders, are set to grow. For those of us in the UK and Europe, there is some reassurance in the success of cooperative regulatory frameworks such as GDPR. But the overarching sense was that geopolitics is no longer a backdrop for technology; it is now a shaping force.
Regulation in a messy world
The panel had differing views on whether AI regulation can succeed in a global and fragmented landscape. Is it possible to create regulatory systems that protect citizens and remove bias, while still enabling services to be delivered from anywhere?
Where views did align was on the importance of sustainability and safeguarding, particularly when it comes to children and young people online. Our discussion took place on the same day the UK House of Lords moved to amend a bill restricting social media use for those under 16. Examples like this demonstrate that, where there is shared intent, regulation is not only possible but may be welcomed.
AI for social good, and reasons for optimism
Despite the challenges discussed throughout the evening, the prevailing mood for our first Community event of 2026 was far from pessimistic. The phrase ‘doom and gloom’ did surface, but it was in the context of what we are determined to avoid, rather than where we think we will end up.
We spoke about the potential for AI wearables, internet-connected devices and assistive technologies to be used for social good. From enabling people with medical conditions to live more independently, to enhancing quality of life more broadly, these applications offered tangible examples of how data and AI can deliver meaningful, human-centred outcomes when used thoughtfully.
But we did not shy away from the risks. The possibility of an ever-widening digital divide, alongside uncertainty about the future workforce, can make investment in skills development feel daunting. Particularly against a backdrop of rapid technological and geopolitical change. Yet, this is exactly why it matters. Those individuals and organisations that are prepared for the next twist or pivot will be best placed to respond with confidence.
At The Data Lab, supporting people and organisations to build capability in data and AI is central to what we do. The Community plays a vital role in that mission – creating space to share knowledge, challenge assumptions and learn from one another. If you are not already part of it, I strongly encourage you to join us here.
Overall, our first meet-up of the year was genuinely positive. The opportunities ahead for those who invest in digital and data skills and plan to use technology and data to solve clear, well-defined challenges are exciting. Not everything we discussed was a firm prediction; some ideas sat closer to hopes or fears, but the panel closed by capturing the year ahead in three words: resilience, tech-power-grab, and accountability.
For me, as I begin my tenure as Chair, this felt like an energising and fitting (and fun!) way to start 2026. It was a pleasure to meet so many members of the Community and to hear such a wide range of perspectives, and I look forward to continuing the conversation at future events.
About Nic
Nic Granger OBE is Chief Information and Financial Officer at the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), where she leads an award-winning, diverse team that delivers data, information, and digital solutions to support strategic decision-making and accelerate the energy transition.
She is Chair of the Offshore Energy Digital Strategy Group, a trustee for CAST (Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology), a board member and Chair of the Risk, Audit & Finance Committee of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, and a board member for the Bat Conservation Trust.
Nic was previously Chair of the ICAEW Tech Board, a trustee for Falklands Conservation, and a senior civil servant for the Falkland Islands Government. She was awarded an OBE in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours list for services to digital transformation.